Idlib demilitarization (2018–2019)
Part of the Turkish military operation in Idlib Governorate and the Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war
The situation in the province of Idlib as of 17 September 2018. Locations of Turkish outposts are pictured.   Syrian Army control   Tahrir al-Sham and allies control   National Front for Liberation and allies control   Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army control
Date 17 September 2018 – 30 April 2019 (7 months, 1 week and 6 days) 31 August – 19 December 2019 (3 months, 2 weeks and 5 days) Location Northwestern Syria Northeastern Latakia Governorate Northwestern Hama Governorate Southern Idlib Governorate Western Aleppo Governorate Result Failed[6]
Belligerents
Syria Syrian Armed Forces Russia  Iran Liwa al-Quds Hezbollah Arab Nationalist Guard SSNP Ba'ath Brigades	National Front for Liberation  Turkey[1][2][3] Syrian National Army Jaysh al-Izza[4] Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Turkistan Islamic Party Ajnad al-Kavkaz Rouse the Believers Operations Room[5] Abu Amara Special Task Company[citation needed] Katibat al-Ghuraba al-Turkistan Junud al-Sham Katiba Abd ar-Rahman Caucasus Emirate Jama'at Ansar al-Furqan in Bilad al Sham Malhama Tactical[citation needed] Katibat Jabal al-Islam
Commanders and leaders
Vladimir Putin (President of Russia) Gen. Mohammad Khaddour Maj. Gen. Suheil al-Hassan	Recep Erdogan (President of Turkey) Mohammad Safwan al Saleh  †[7] Col. Mustafa Bakr [citation needed] Abu Mohammad al-Julani (Emir of Tahrir al-Sham) Abu Maria al-Qahtani Abu al-Fath al-Ferghali Abu Yaqdhan al-Masri Zaid al-Attar
Units involved
Syrian Army 3rd Armoured Division Qalamoun Shield Forces Republican Guard 124th Brigade 4th Armoured Division 18th Armoured Division 131st Armored Brigade Tiger Forces Air Force Intelligence Directorate National Defence Forces  Syrian Arab Air Force SSNP Eagles of the Whirlwind Russian Armed Forces and affiliated paramilitaries Aerospace Forces Wagner Group IRGC Quds Force	National Front for Liberation Syrian Liberation Front Ahrar al-Sham Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement Sheikh Fadel al-Akel Katibat al-Bayia Lillah Katibat Usud al-Tawheed Liwa al-Adiyat Martyr Abu Omar Battalion Jaysh al-Ahrar Suqour al-Sham Brigades Sham Legion Free Idlib Army Army of Victory Elite Army 1st Coastal Division 23rd Division Islamic Freedom Brigade 2nd Coastal Division 1st Infantry Division Tahrir al-Sham Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar Imam Bukhari Jamaat Jaysh al-Usra Movement of Mujahideen of the Sunnis of Iran Army of Umar Ibn Khattab Army of Abu Bakr as-Sadiq Army of Uthman ibn Affan[8] Rouse the Believers Operations Room[5] Alliance to Support Islam Guardians of Religion Organization Ansar al-Tawhid Ansar al-Din Front - Harakat Fajr ash-Sham al-Islamiya Ansar al-Islam
Casualties and losses
238 killed (as of 29 April 2019)[9] 2 killed[10]	155 rebels killed (gov.-rebel conflict; as of 29 April 2019)[9] 130 rebels killed (HTS-NLF conflict)[11] 1 killed[12]
372 civilians killed (as of 29 April 2019)[9][11] 80,000 people displaced[9][11]
a Buffer zone never fully implemented, interrupted by intermittent shelling and ground offensives.[13][14] Zone considered to be inactive by Turkey, which Russia says did not abide by the agreement,[15] while Russia considers Turkey to have failed to separate moderate rebels from hardline jihadists.[16]

Part of a series on the Syrian civil war
Syrian peace process
History Arab League initiative I 2011 Arab League initiative II 2011–12 Churkin peace plan 2012 Kofi Annan peace plan (Geneva I) 2012 Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan 2012 U.S.–Russia peace proposal (2013) 2013 Geneva II Mideast peace conference 2014 Staffan de Mistura peace plan 2015 Zabadani agreement 2015 Vienna talks 2015 Geneva III 2016 US-Russia ceasefire proposal (2016) 2016 Geneva IV 2017 Idlib demilitarization 2018 Northern Syria Buffer Zone 2019 Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone 2019 Syrian Constitutional Committee 2019 Syrian-Turkish normalization 2022–24
Primary concerns Bashar Assad presidentship Ba'athist government Opposition government Secularism in Syria Human rights Refugees Humanitarian aid Sectarianism
Secondary concerns Electricity supply Water supply Control of oil Situation in Aleppo Siege of Madaya
International brokers Peace envoy for Syria (United Nations) UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian affairs Arab League
Proposals Federalization of Syria Destruction of Chemical Weapons Constitution amendment: Constitution of Syria Constitution of Syrian Opposition Constitution of Rojava Safe Zones
Projects Friends of Syria Group Free Syrian University Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently
v t e

The Idlib demilitarization was an agreement between Turkey and Russia to create a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Syria's rebel-held Idlib Governorate, to be patrolled by military forces from Russia and Turkey. On 17 September 2018, the Russian president Vladimir Putin and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, reached an agreement to create a buffer zone in Idlib.^[17]

In the start of 2018, after ISIL defeat in eastern Syria, the Syrian government and its allies intensified their assault on rebels in the southwest. After the Beit Jinn offensive in January, the Eastern Qalamoun offensive (April 2018), rebel fighters who refused to "reconcile" with the government were evacuated to Idlib – reportedly about 1,500 from Qalamoun^[18] and 300 from Beit Jinn to Idlib and Daraa in December^[19] and more in March.^[20] At the same time, rebel and HTS fighters surrendered in the long Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign, and the rebels, numbering about 20,000, were transported to Idlib, Afrin and Al-Bab area.^[21][22][23] In late July 2018, Syrian government forces and their allies captured the Southern Front, during the 2018 Southern Syria offensive. Rebel fighters who refused to reconcile were again transported to Idlib.^[24][25]

After that, the Syrian government started gathering troops outside of Idlib, and began shelling rebel-held territories at the start of August. Rebels started building defenses and trenches for an upcoming offensive.^{[26][27][28][29]}

On 4 September 2018, at least ten Russian Sukhoi aircraft launched dozens of air strikes over the southern and western part of the Idlib Governorate, which led to the largest bombing campaign in the province. Russian air strikes specifically targeted the Jisr al-Shughur District, including Al-Shughour, Mahambel, Basnkoul, Zaizooun, Ziyarah, Jadariiah, Kafrdeen, Al-Sahn, Saraseef and a dozen others. The Russian air force on the first day recorded more than 50-70 attacks. According to pro-government sources, at least 11 civilians were killed, and 24 wounded during the strikes.^[30][31][32] The following day, one of the top Syrian Arab Army (SAA) commanders arrived in northern Syria in the upcoming offensive in Idlib, Hama and Latakia: according to the official media wing of the Tigers, their commander, Major-General Suheil al-Hassan, went to Aleppo area to visit the areas retaken by the government.^[33] The Syrian and Russian air forces resumed their airstrikes over the southwestern countryside of the Idlib Governorate today. Using their Sukhoi jets, the Syrian and Russian air forces heavily bombarded the Jisr Al-Shughour District for the second straight day.^[34] As the bombardments continued, and the fears for an upcoming offensive appeared to become a reality, the United Nations issued a warning that the offensive will result in a bloodbath and a massacre, as about 100,000 rebels and 3,000,000 civilians were holed up in the area. Turkey started sending more troops and boosting defenses in the frontlines, and warned the government and Russia of a humanitarian disaster if their forces started the offensive, saying it would create a new wave of refugees. On 13 September, it was announced Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Iran, to discuss ways forward.^[35][36][37]

The demilitarization deal was struck on 16 September and was announced as binding on both parties. The terms were as follows:^{[38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46]}

• A demilitarized zone (DMZ) would be set up entirely within rebel-held territory. It would be 15 to 25 km deep (9–15 miles) and come into effect by 15 October. All acts of aggression would be prohibited within the zone.
• The Syrian Government would refrain from attacks on the rebel-held Idlib Governorate.
• Groups deemed "radical", such as the Al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), would have to leave the demilitarized zone entirely.
• Groups deemed "moderate", such as the Turkish-backed National Front for Liberation, would be allowed to remain within the demilitarized zone, but would have to withdraw all heavy and medium weapons from it, including all tanks, MLRS, artillery and mortars.
Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Idlib_demilitarization_(2018–2019)
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